title: Quality of life after TIA and stroke: ten-year results of the Oxford Vascular Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the 5-year impact of stroke and TIA on utility and quality-adjusted survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  TIA and stroke patients from a UK population-based study (Oxford Vascular Study) were recruited from 2002 to 2007, and followed up until 2012. Quality of life was assessed over 5 years using the EQ-5D (EuroQol-5 Dimensions), with responses converted into utilities ranging from -0.59 (worse than death) to 1 (perfect health), using UK population valuations. Utilities for stroke and TIA patients were compared with those in matched controls obtained from the 2006 Health Survey for England. Five-year quality-adjusted life years were estimated by combining utility and survival information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred forty TIA and 748 stroke patients were ascertained and included. Utility remained constant at approximately 0.78 over the 5 years after TIA. Utility improved from 0.64 one month after stroke to 0.70 at 6 months (p = 0.006), remaining at approximately 0.70 thereafter. Matched controls had considerably higher utility levels than stroke/TIA patients (0.85, p < 0.001). Event severity and recurrent stroke were significant predictors of decreased long-term utility. Five-year quality-adjusted life expectancy was 3.32 (95% confidence interval: 3.22-3.48) quality-adjusted life years after TIA and 2.21 (2.15-2.37) after stroke, varying considerably by severity (minor: 2.94; moderate: 1.65; and severe: 0.70).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quality-adjusted survival is low over the 5 years after stroke and TIA, with severity and recurrent stroke being major predictors. There remains considerable scope for improvements in acute treatment and secondary prevention to improve the quality of life after TIA and stroke.
authors.affiliation: From the Health Economics Research Centre (R.L.-F., A.M.G.), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford; and the Stroke Prevention Research Unit (L.B., S.W., F.C., P.M.R), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luengo-Fernandez
authors.forename: Alastair M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuthbertson
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rothwell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*